1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to a thermal pack, and more particularly, to a thermal pack that can be positioned on a user's limb to provide circumferential thermal treatment at a desired location on the limb.
2. Description of Related Art
The generally accepted first aid treatment for strains, sprains, contusions, dislocations, uncomplicated fractures and other non-acute injuries to human limbs is often referred to by the acronym RICE, which stands for rest, ice, compression and elevation. Rest is prescribed because continued activity can cause further injury to the limb thereby delaying the healing process, increasing pain, and stimulating internal bleeding. Ice is prescribed because blood vessels contract when exposed to cold temperatures, which helps reduce swelling in the injured limb and also helps to reduce the extent of internal bleeding from injured capillaries and blood vessels. Compression is prescribed because it tends to hasten healing time by reducing swelling around injury. And, elevation of the limb above the heart is prescribed because it tends to reduce swelling in the limb and also tends to reduce pain.
Although ice is prescribed to treat injured limbs, ice can cause discomfort when placed between a compressive wrap and an injured limb because it is a rigid non-conforming solid. Ice is also difficult to position on an injured limb, and it tends to melt quickly, which results in a loss of the desired cold treatment and/or frequent disturbance of the injured limb to apply more ice. In view of these and other disadvantages, temperature-retaining gel-filled thermal packs are frequently used instead of ice in the first aid treatment of injured limbs. The gels used in such packs tend to remain cold for a longer period of time than ice, and such gels also preferably remain viscous at low temperatures, which allow them to more comfortably conform to the contours of the injured limb when placed between a compressive wrap and the injured limb.
Conventional gel-filled thermal treatment packs generally consist of a substantially flat flexible envelope that has been filled with a temperature-retaining gel material. Pre-chilled “flat packs” of this type are typically pressed into contact with an injured limb and over-wrapped with a suitable material such as an elastic bandage to hold it in place and provide compression to the injured limb. Some gel-filled thermal treatment packs are provided with straps or other means of securing the flat pack in contact with the injured limb.
Flat packs, while widely used to provide first aid treatment to injured limbs, present certain problems and disadvantages. One problem with flat packs is that they do not provide circumferential thermal treatment to injured limbs (i.e., thermal treatment completely surrounding the injured limb at the location of the injury). Flat packs are effective in applying cold treatment to injured limbs only insofar as they can be placed into contact with the injured limb. Thus, in order to provide circumferential or radial thermal treatment to an injured limb, it is typically necessary to apply more than one flat pack to the injured limb, which can present placement and retention problems. In addition, it is sometimes very difficult and time consuming to secure flat packs to an injured limb, even when the flat pack is provided with straps or other securing means.